Wall is damp behind bathroom tiles - please help!

[jeffrito]

Hi there,

We've had a damp problem in our bathroom which has manifested with discoloured patches on the walls in the room directly below.

I started to take the grout out between the tiles and found some of the tiles very loose which I have also removed. See picture.

The wall behind, which I assume is plasterboard is damp. Picture is here http://s8.postimage.org/f8wl720b9/Tiles_1.jpg

Whilst there aren't any gaping holes clearly the surface of the plasterboard is uneven.

So do I need to replace the plasterboard completely or will letting it dry and smothering it over with plaster do? Or perhaps there is a different solution.

Please help!


(note I think this is plaster board. I assume the reddish colour has come from the backs of the tiles)

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[iwaters]

That looks pretty wet from the photos IS there a shower head above that?

If not you need to find out why it is so wet It doesn't look like there is any silicone round the edge so water is getting behind it an wicking up the board

Water and plasterboard do not go well together. It disintegrates and the paper backing provides organic food for mould. It looks a bit like mould in the picture. Keep taking tiles of till you find dry plaster board Then cut out the wet and replace with either moisture resistant plaster board or preferably concrete board if there is a shower there. Re tile and then seal the edges with silicone.

Leaving it to dry isn't going to work.

 

[jeffrito]

That looks pretty wet from the photos IS there a shower head above that?

If not you need to find out why it is so wet It doesn't look like there is any silicone round the edge so water is getting behind it an wicking up the board

Water and plasterboard do not go well together. It disintegrates and the paper backing provides organic food for mould. It looks a bit like mould in the picture. Keep taking tiles of till you find dry plaster board Then cut out the wet and replace with either moisture resistant plaster board or preferably concrete board if there is a shower there. Re tile and then seal the edges with silicone.

Leaving it to dry isn't going to work.

Hi there,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes a shower head is above.

I've taken some of the tiles off, I'm pretty sure now that it's not actually plasterboard underneath but concrete board.

I've taken some of the wet concrete board out.

Can I just replace that with new concrete board.

Higher up the board seems very solid and in good nick but ever so slightly damp.

 

[iwaters]

Yes if is concrete board leave it as is - well replace the bits you have removed.

Re-tile and then properly seal the gap. With the shower splashing on that edge there is probably a fair bit of water getting down there.

 

[jeffrito]

Yes if is concrete board leave it as is - well replace the bits you have removed.

Re-tile and then properly seal the gap. With the shower splashing on that edge there is probably a fair bit of water getting down there.

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Many thanks!